Christmas Island

Almost 200 children will be moved out of the Pontville immigration detention centre in Tasmania and into the community, while more than 60 children are being detained on Christmas Island awaiting offshore transfer.

The Federal Government is using the arrival of the first asylum seekers in Papua New Guinea, under its new offshore settlement policy, to send a stern warning to people smugglers and their potential customers.

A group of predominantly Iranian and Afghan asylum seekers from the Christmas Island detention centre arrived on PNG's Manus Island this morning.

Immigration Minister Tony Burke says it shows the Government is "serious" about its policy not to resettle asylum seekers in Australia.

An inquest in Perth has heard asylum seekers were scared when they saw the small wooden boat they boarded in Indonesia which eventually sank on its way to Christmas Island, killing more than 100 people.